


Alphabet Soup

by Rennat



Series: The House of Mist and Memory [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, Korrasami - Freeform, Mentions of Death, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural Elements, mentions of animal death, sort-of-fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-15 22:08:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3463874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rennat/pseuds/Rennat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The house is always cold, but it's okay; Korra knows how to take things in stride.  Like mediocre meals. And dead dogs.  And pretty ghosts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alphabet Soup

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was inspired by a text post by tumblr user brastrophobia. The Legend of Korra and the Avatar Franchise was written by Byrke and its rights are held by nickelodeon. No money is being made off of this fanwork.

The loud clatter of a can opener against the splintered wood floor announced the arrival of another rather unremarkable meal.  The hum of a microwave slid through the shuddering walls of the kitchen like water from a leaking furnace until, abruptly, it was interrupted by a _beep, beep,_ and the microwave was flung open and its contents snatched it away.

No dog barked at the telltale noises.  No pet whined for its share.

Wrapped in her flimsy blanket, Korra shivered.

She set down her beaker of alphabet soup before her, eying its contents dejectedly.  Even sitting inside at the table, Korra ached in the frosty draft, only an echo of the howling chill outside.  From upstairs, she could hear the knobby branches of the diseased oak rapping its boughs on the distorted glass and aged shutters.   _I need to take that tree down_ , she thought as she lifted the lukewarm meal to her lips, _before it falls onto this godforsaken house_.  As she drew the beaker away again, she glanced out the window in the direction of the tree in question, her throat dry.

A bone-piercing draft, completely unprecedented by the wind outside, snapped her into focus. Startled, she frowned, and peered into her cup.  

The letters inside read, “ _U OK”._

Korra blinked.  Closed her eyes.  Shivered in a sudden cold draft.  Opened them.  Looked again.

 _RLY U OK_  

"I’m fine," she murmured. Closed her eyes.  Shivered, harder this time.  Opened them.  Again, looked into the cup. 

_SRY F DOG_

Korra laughed aloud this time, a smile creeping onto her lips.  “Thanks for your condolences,” she said.  “That…means a lot. I miss her.  Badly.  It’s even colder in this house without Naga running around, barking up a storm and waking me up in the middle of the night.”  Despite her achingly cold joints, Korra walked over to the kitchen shelves, selecting a flattish bowl.  “But she _had_ to be put down.  She was in so much pain.”  She opened up another can of alphabet soup and poured it out onto the bowl, replacing the letters she’d eaten.  She held it out before her carefully.

"I buried her out in the back, near that old oak tree.  The one I have to take down.  Can you believe how dumb I am?"

She closed her eyes and waited again to feel the chill.  When she opened them, she looked expectantly down into the bowl.

_SHE HRE_

_IT OKAY_

_GD DOG NAGA_

Korra gasped.  “Sh-she’s with you?”

_YES_

_A GD DOG_

Korra, suddenly unable to see, wiped the obstructing tears from her eyes.  “She’s there with you.  You’re…she’s…you’re not alone.”  She let out a half-sob, half laugh, and smiled.  “She’s with you!”

_YES_

"Oh I’m so glad!"  Korra cried, and tried to hold back from crying.  It was a fruitless effort.  "You’re both there to keep each other company.  That..that is the best news…it…it was just so awful, imagining you alone all the time…"

_NOT_

_IM WTH U_

"I know," Korra whispered.  "I’ll always be here with you."

THUMP.  A particularly strong wind rammed into the side of the house, sending an icy draft into the kitchen once again.  Korra swore, flinching, and the blanket fell from her shoulders.  “FUCK this house is so cold!” She placed the bowl back onto the counter and retrieved the blanket, tightening it soundly around her shoulders again. “I am so tired of it! I have GOT to get a space heater or some firewood or…” As she turned and snatched up the bowl again, she stiffened, her words faltering.

_PLS DONT SEL IT_

She stared, blinking, at the arranged pasta letters, slowly comprehending what they were imploring. 

Korra turned and placed the soup onto the counter behind her.  Then she turned around, looking straight ahead. “I would never.  It will never matter how cold this place gets, how many dogs die, or how many trees threaten to fall on it.  I will always stay.  I will never leave this house.”

She lifted her eyes, looking intently at the air in front of her, willing herself to see behind the invisible veil there. “I will never leave _you.”_

Then, briefly, as Korra closed her eyes, she could feel the whisperlike touch of two icy fingers ghosting across her cheek.  She felt the touch of cold lips against her own, and longed to open her eyes, but dared not do so.  She did not want this kiss to end, this kiss with this lovely, lonely being from beyond the grave. 

But end it did, and in a trance, Korra turned again to the bowl of soup on the counter.

_I LOVE YOU KORRA_

"I love you, too," Korra whispered.  She took a deep, shuddering breath.  "I love you so much, Asami."

She touched the sides of the bowl, looking at the sink.  But she wanted those letters to stay where they were forever.  Impossible, she knew, but she’d wait to clean it up.  What harm could it do?

"Hey, look…" Korra murmured, "I…have to go to work…uhm…Naga likes fetch the most.  And she loves being rubbed on her belly.  I’ll talk you when I get back, okay? And don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. I’ll always come back."

 As Korra drove off for work, two pairs of eyes trailed after her car before turning to each other eagerly, ready to start their first game of fetch. 

THE END

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to know what you think, even if it's a short comment or a question!


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